How Is Your Easter Heartburn?

HOW IS YOUR EASTER HEARTBURN?

Luke 24:13-35 - April 25, 2004

LUKE 24:13-35

13Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16but they were kept from recognizing him.

17He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?"

They stood still, their faces downcast. 18One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?"

19"What things?" he asked.

"About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see."

25He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" 27And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

28As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. 29But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them.

30When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"

33They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon." 35Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

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Dearest Fellow-Redeemed and Saints in the Lord:

Our question, if you had a chance to look at the bulletin this morning, says, "How is your Easter heartburn?" We hear of the disciples who had their hearts burning within them as Jesus spoke with them. Today in society we see many advertisements and we hear many advertisements concerning heartburn. There are all kinds of medications, either tablets or liquids to stop that persistent, pesky heartburn. Today a person can even take a pill beforehand so the heartburn does not even begin. Our text talks about Easter heartburn. Sometimes it burns at our hearts but at other times warms our hearts and our lives.

Listen to Prophet Jeremiah who talks about his heartburn: "But if I say, ’I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,’ his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot" (JEREMIAH 20:9). This is not Easter heartburn for him, because Easter had not been celebrated yet. That is what our text speaks about this morning, the Easter heartburn that goes forth into the world and warms up the hearts of mankind. So we ask our selves: HOW IS YOUR EASTER HEARTBURN?

I. Is it a heartburn from God’s Law which scorches the heart,

II. Is it heartburn from God’s Gospel that warms up the heart?

II. Heartburn from God’s law scorches the heart.

The questions come before us this morning, and we probably have heard them a number of times. It reminds us that there are still questions on that first Easter Sunday. Some of the disciples were locked in the upper room. Other of Jesus’ followers finally left and went back to their own villages. 13Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. Of course, they had much to talk about, didn’t they? Still fresh in the minds of these two followers of Jesus was His crucifixion, death and burial. Of course, there was the empty tomb. 15As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them. Then Jesus speaks with them: 17He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?" Now we begin to see the Easter heartburn they have, it is law heartburn. They stood still, their faces downcast. They were saddened. They stopped walking. Here all this while they had been walking along and talking to each other. Now when Jesus asked what they were talking about, they were downcast. The law had scorched their hearts. They knew that the prophet’s words that said that every soul that sins must die. They were stunned into silence and sadness. They thought this man who came to them was the only one who did not know what happened in Jerusalem. God’s law was still pounding at their hearts, so that they did not even recognize Jesus.